# Reading Lineage

## **How to Interpret Lineage Information When Choosing Vinyl Rips**

There are many ways to read a lineage file and to choose which version is the best option. This is written in order of priority of each stage.

## **Vinyl Preparation**

### 1. Condition of the Vinyl
- **Mint or Unplayed Vinyl:** Ideally, a vinyl in mint or unplayed condition will have the best input leading to more likelihood of better results with hardly any pops or clicks. However, second-hand vinyl often doesn't meet this criterion.
- **Well-Cleaned Vinyl:** A used vinyl that has been meticulously cleaned can still offer excellent sound quality. Proper cleaning methods can include vinyl cleaning solutions or even simple brushing techniques.
- **VG/VG+ Records:** If the vinyl is graded VG (Very Good) or VG+ (Very Good Plus), using even the best cleaning methods, such as a Degritter, won’t completely resolve inherent issues with the record's condition.

## **Equipment Specifications**

### 1. Audio Quality Priorities
- **32-bit Rip with 192k Sample Rate:** For recording it is best to ensure recording in 32bit float. This provides the most accurate and detailed digital representation of the vinyl.
- **Frequency Response:** The next priority is the frequency response of the cartridge. A wide frequency response range ensures the cartridge can accurately reproduce both low and high frequencies.
- **Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR):** Following frequency response, the SNR of the turntable and amplifier is crucial. A higher SNR indicates less background noise, contributing to a clearer and more detailed sound.

### 2. Cartridge Specifications
- **Stereo Separation:** Check the cartridge's stereo separation specs. Higher stereo separation typically results in a more distinct and immersive sound.
- **Type Of Stylus Used:** A line contact stylus is essential as it provides the best results. While some ellipticals sound fine, a conical stylus might be better for certain picture records. This is because it sits deeper in the grooves, bringing more sound detail at the bottom of the groove.

### 3. Turntable Specifications
- **Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR):** As mentioned, a higher SNR indicates less background noise, contributing to a clearer and more detailed sound.

### 4. Amplifier Specifications
- **Frequency Response:** Similar to the cartridge, the amplifier's frequency response should be wide to handle the full range of sounds.
- **Signal to Noise Ratio:** A high SNR in the amplifier helps maintain the clarity and quality of the sound.

## **Additional Considerations**

### 1. Manual Declicking
- **Manual Declicking:** Most rippers who truly care about quality use mostly manual declicking. This process involves manually removing clicks and pops from the audio, resulting in a cleaner and more polished sound.
- **Avoid Whole Track Auto Repair if possible:** Auto repair features should generally be avoided, as they can reflect insufficient care in the outcome and often introduce artifacts or fail to address issues, especially if the wrong preset is used. Applying repair filters to an entire track will cause problems. However, there are exceptions. For example, the repair tool in Audacity is well trusted. It works on segments with fewer than 128 samples, making it effective for very small snippets or errors that pop-repair or de-clicking algorithms don't catch.

### 2. Avoiding USB Turntables
- **USB Turntable Rips:** Generally, it's best to avoid rips made with USB turntables, as they often don't match the audio quality of traditional turntables with separate high-quality components.

### 3. Trust but Verify
- **Listening:** Ultimately, listening to the rip is the most reliable way to judge its quality. Lineage information can be misrepresented, so your ears are the best judge of sound quality.

{{ pageinfo(authors="Seti", created="2024/05/19", updated="2024/11/12") }}